This invention relates to a transfer switch arrangement having a light to illuminate surface components of the arrangement, such as switches, circuit breakers, and power meters.
Portable generators are used in certain situations to supply electrical power to residential and commercial load circuits during a utility power outage. A system for interconnecting the generator with the load center of a building typically includes a power inlet box having a receptacle for receiving a plug extending from the generator.
The power inlet box is typically mounted to the exterior of a building, and is adapted for connection to a transfer switching mechanism which establishes an electrical path between the generator and the load center. The transfer switching mechanism typically includes a series of switches and circuit breakers, which are operable to supply power to certain selected circuits of the load center. The circuits of the transfer switching mechanism are wired to selected circuits of the load center, through wiring housed within a conduit extending between the transfer switching mechanism and the load center.
A typical transfer switching mechanism includes a housing provided with a power input receptacle. The remote power inlet box is wired to a power cord connected to a junction box, and the power cord is engageable with the power input receptacle of the transfer switching mechanism so as to provide power to the transfer switching mechanism from the generator. An alternative arrangement is illustrated in Flegel U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,981 issued Apr. 20, 1999, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In the '981 patent, the transfer switching mechanism includes a terminal compartment within which a set of terminals is located. The terminals are wired to the switches of the transfer switching mechanism. A set of power input wires extends from the power inlet box, and into the terminal compartment of the transfer switching mechanism. The ends of the power input wires are connected to the terminals, to establish a direct, non-plug type connection between the power inlet box and the transfer switching mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,240 issued to Flegel on Jul. 2, 2002 describes a power transfer switching mechanism that includes a cabinet defining an internal cavity within which a series of switches are mounted. One or more lead wires are connected to the switches, and define ends which extend into a compartment. The compartment is accessible through an opening associated with the cabinet, and a cover is selectively positionable over the opening to provide or prevent access to the compartment. With the cover removed, the lead wires can be connected to power input wires in a conventional manner, e.g., wire-to-wire connectors, and the wires and the connectors may then be placed within the compartment and concealed by attaching the cover to the cabinet.
Power transfer switching mechanisms, such as those briefly described above, are typically mounted adjacent an electrical panel, which is often located in a basement or utility room, or alternatively may be in a location such as an attic, garage, etc. Such locations typically do not receive much if any ambient light, thereby making it difficult for a user to see the switches, meters, and circuit breakers of the power transfer switching mechanism even during operation in daylight hours.
The present invention provides a power transfer switching mechanism having a light that illuminates the switches, circuit breakers, power meters, and other surface components of the power transfer switching mechanism.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a power transfer switching mechanism includes a first or upper compartment defining a first or upper cavity and a second or lower compartment defining a second or lower cavity. The first compartment has a first panel, to which a plurality of switches is mounted, that closes an opening to the first cavity. In a similar manner, the second compartment has a second panel that closes the opening to the second cavity. Circuit breakers and power meters may also be mounted to the first panel. The second compartment provides space to make electrical connections between the switches and a power input, and once those connections are made, the second panel may be secured in place to close off access to the connections. A light, such as a light bar, is mounted to at least one of the first panel and the second panel to illuminate the surface components, such as the switches, circuit breakers and meters of the power transfer switching mechanism. The light may consist of a light bar having a plurality of light emitting diodes. In one implementation, the light is supplied with power from an auxiliary power source and therefore only provides illumination of the power transfer switching mechanism when auxiliary power is being fed to the power transfer switching mechanism. Alternately, the light may also be connected to a primary or utility power source and therefore provides illumination when utility power is providing electrical power to the loads of the power transfer switching mechanism.
The present invention also seeks to overcome some of the drawbacks of conventional power transfer switching mechanisms by providing a light that may be mounted to a transfer switch housing and that provides surface illumination of the housing when a generator is providing electrical power to the power transfer switching mechanism. Since the light is illuminated by auxiliary, or standby, electrical power, the improvement provided by the present invention allows better viewing of the electrical components of the power transfer switching mechanism during a utility power outage. In one embodiment, the light is operative automatically upon the delivery of standby electrical power to the power transfer switching mechanism. Thus, for an installation in which a generator automatically begins to supply electrical power upon a utility power outage, the light also assists a homeowner or other user in locating the power transfer switching mechanism.
In one embodiment of the invention, the light includes low power light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in an array to provide a wide illumination area. The light may include a clear, or substantially clear, lens that provides a housing for the LEDs and is also operative to diffuse the light emitted by the LEDs. In one embodiment, the lens is a low profile, flat lens. It is understood, however, that other lens shapes and types could also be used.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a transfer switching mechanism having a light that provides illumination of surface components of the power transfer switching mechanism.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a power transfer arrangement including a housing having a lens that contains one or more light emitting elements, such as LEDs.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a power transfer device which ensures that surface components of the power transfer switching mechanism are illuminated when standby electrical power is being used to power the electrical system of a building.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer switching mechanism which is easy to install and which operates generally similarly to known transfer switching mechanisms.
The invention contemplates an improvement in a power transfer arrangement for supplying power from a generator to the electrical system of the building. The power transfer arrangement has a power transfer device adapted for interconnection with the building electrical system and includes a cabinet having wall structure provided with an opening. The wall structure also supports various other electrical components of the power transfer device thereon, such as switches, circuit breakers, and power meters. The invention may reside in a cover engageable with the wall structure for covering the opening and containing a lighting element or lamp mounted to the cover. The lighting element is powered by the standby electrical power fed to the power transfer device, and provides a relatively wide area of illumination generally about the faceplate. The components of the power transfer device include a set of switches mounted to the wall structure for controlling the supply of power from the power transfer device to the building electrical system. The electrical components on the wall structure further include watt meters for displaying the amount of power provided by the generator, and a set of circuit breakers, with each circuit breaker being associated with one of the switches. The lighting element illuminates these electrical components during a utility power outage.
The invention further contemplates an improvement in a power transfer device adapted for interconnection with the electrical system of a building and including a cabinet having a faceplate provided with an opening. The faceplate also supports various other electrical components of the power transfer device thereon. The invention is in the form of a cover plate assembly removably connected to the faceplate and covering the opening. The cover plate assembly includes a lamp that illuminates an area generally adjacent the faceplate to ease viewing of the electrical components of the power transfer device during a utility power outage.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a power transfer device provided with electrical components for supplying power from a generator in electrical communication with a power inlet arrangement to the electrical system of a building. The power transfer device includes a cabinet defining an interior within which a set of terminals associated with the electrical components is located. The cabinet has a wall structure provided with an opening formed therein, and the wall structure supports the electrical components. A cover is mounted against the wall structure over the opening and has a lighting arrangement to illuminate the wall structure when standby electrical power is being fed to the power transfer device.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.